


Snow in Bedlam

by VictoriaAGrey



Category: Hannibal (TV), Hannibal Lecter Series - All Media Types
Genre: Domestic, Drinking & Talking, First Kiss, Fluff, Hannibal isn't, M/M, Sleeping Together, Snowed In, Will is much confused about his feelings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-06
Updated: 2016-02-06
Packaged: 2018-05-18 13:18:49
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,572
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5929830
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VictoriaAGrey/pseuds/VictoriaAGrey
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After getting snowed in for the night, Will gets a glimpse of what life would look like if he and Hannibal were to become involved.</p>
<p>/// Takes place sometime between Fromage and Relevés. ///</p>
            </blockquote>





	Snow in Bedlam

**Author's Note:**

> For of-fandoms-and-me, who loves the dynamic between Hannibal and Will, and them as individuals. I hope you enjoy this, lady! <3
> 
> Okay so you know how our precious Graham cracker is in the throes of encephalitis by this point in the series??? Well I tried to include elements of that on a low key scale. Hopefully I pulled it off.

When it rains, it pours. Or, as the case is now, when it snows, it motherfucking _snows_.

Black ice always became a concern after storms like the one currently spinning white chaos through Virginia and Will knew he was playing a dangerous game driving as he was towards home. He was a few miles short of salvation and nothing like speed limits or flurries was going to slow his progress. Stepping on the gas, he hoped that his already foul day wasn’t about to get worse.

No such luck, Will thought as he deflated under a fresh crush of guilt when he caught sight of his house. Due to the early hour Jack had “requested” he come to a crime scene he believed may belong to the Chesapeake Ripper, he hadn’t been able to arrange for his elderly neighbors or a dog sitter to come by and tend to his dogs. With few options left, he called Hannibal, who graciously answered his plea with a voice still clinging hopelessly to sleep. The rest of his day slipped by at a pace which felt slow, but was deceptively fast. By the time Will thought to call Hannibal to ensure that he’d gotten out of Wolf Trap and home safely before the freeway he used to Baltimore shut down, his phone had died. Now that he’d pulled into his driveway and parked his Volvo beside Hannibal’s Bentley, he had no choice but to apologize and hope that he wouldn’t be too upset with being snowed into Will’s house with a bunch of dogs for the night.

Speaking of his dogs, he could see them charging towards him through the snow as Hannibal brought up the rear at an unhurried pace. Despite himself, Will smiled and got out his car.

“Hi there.” Will welcomed his pack, crouching to love all of them as they came up seeking attention. “I missed you.”

Once he was sure each dog had gotten their due affections, he rose to face Hannibal, who was bundled up against the cold and standing a few feet away watching the reunion with a small smile gracing his face. As Will walked towards him, the dogs excitedly bounded around them. Something warm curled through Will at the sight of his dogs showing they had accepted Hannibal into their pack.

“Hey,” he hesitantly greeted, testing the waters.

“Hello, Will. Bad day?”

“I feel like the universe is batting a thousand and I keep getting pitched curveballs.”

Hannibal’s chuckle made Will look up at his face for the first time that day and he couldn’t help but feel the coils of guilt begin to unwind their oppressive hold. If Hannibal was irritated with him for the way his day turned out, he wasn’t showing it.

“I was going to call you... tell you to leave, but I lost track of time. I’m sorry.”

“No need to apologize. I chose to stay with the dogs, unsure as to whether or not you would be able to beat the snow. I did not want to be remiss in my dog sitting duties.”

“You take your dog sitting duties very seriously,” Will responded with false seriousness. He felt comforted at the thought of Hannibal willingly staying overnight to ensure that his dogs were taken care of.

“Yes, I do. Now, let’s get you inside.” Hannibal placed a hand on the middle of Will’s back and guided him into the house, closing the door behind him once all the dogs trotted in. “I hope you don’t mind me going through your cabinets, but I thought it best to have dinner prepared for you once you arrived. Borscht served hot with feta biscuits and a garden salad.”

That wasn’t all he had done, Will observed as Hannibal took his coat and scarf. The rugs had been vacuumed, floors swept, shelves dusted, bed washed and made, and, if he wasn’t mistaken, a new lure was completed. The thought that he should feel at least a little violated was quickly squashed when he realized how ridiculous it would sound to reprimand his friend for cleaning his house and making him dinner. Not only would it sound absurd, but it would make him sound ungrateful when he was anything but. And Hannibal looked so comfortable moving through his space that the thought of bursting that bubble made him ache. It was hard enough for Will to make friends, so once he made them he did his best to keep them. Being an ass for no reason wouldn’t be conducive to keeping said friend.

Joining Hannibal in the kitchen, Will awkwardly walked towards the table, not knowing what to do since Hannibal had already set the table. “Thank you. For everything.”

“Anything for a friend,” Hannibal replied easily as he picked up the pot of borscht from the stove. It smelled delicious. “Have you ever had borscht before?”

“Once, but it was served cold,” he remembered as he took his seat.

Setting the pot on a cozy in the center of the table, Hannibal served the salad first. Will liked salad just fine, but he briefly debated how rude Hannibal would find it if he asked to skip it so he could get right to the warm soup and biscuits. Deciding against it, he dug into the salad, enjoying the crunch of the lettuce and clean taste of the cucumbers.

“Murder more complicated than you anticipated?” Hannibal asked conversationally after he’d served the borscht, Will moaning his appreciation for the temperature and heartiness of the soup.

“No. The killer had the self-preservation instinct of a dodo bird.”

“Showed up as a spectator?”

“Yeah, and when I recognized him for what he was, he tried to act like he’d just stumbled upon the scene earlier and was coming forward as a witness.” Will couldn’t avoid letting his irritation seep into his tone.

“You were disappointed.”

Will ripped off a corner of his biscuit and dipped it into his soup, not caring whether Hannibal thought it crass or not. He ate it slowly to avoid answering for as long as possible and steadfastly refused to acknowledge that a part of him did feel disappointment. “More annoyed than anything. I inconvenienced you for the sake of killer stupid enough to come back to the crime scene.”

“It was no inconvenience, Will,” Hannibal insisted as he sipped his wine.

“Hannibal -,” Will started, stopping himself when he felt the anger he had towards the day surge forward now that it had a target. He didn’t want Hannibal to become his verbal punching bag. Will only spoke again once he felt he could do so calmly. “Because of him we’re snowed in. You can’t go home tonight, maybe even tomorrow if this keeps up.”

“Does my presence here make you uncomfortable?”

“No, it’s just... I know how I feel when I’m away from home for too long.”

Inwardly bristling at his lamely phrased finish, Will couldn’t help but think about how the exact opposite of what Hannibal said was true. He was too comfortable with how easily he fit into his life. The casual greeting when he came home, the clean house and prepared dinner, their easy banter. He’d never had a friendship that came as easily as the one he had with Hannibal and he blames their effortless repartee - at least in part - for why his feelings for him have taken on a decidedly romantic tone. Not knowing how Hannibal would react, or even if he would want him to, is what kept Will from saying anything. Hannibal staying overnight would make it much more difficult to quiet his warring emotions.

“Why don’t you go start a fire in the living room? I’ll clean up and bring you a whiskey once I finish.”

“The dogs?”

“Already fed and taken outside. Please, I must insist.”

Knowing a dismissal when he heard one, Will left Hannibal to clean the kitchen while he got a fire going. In an effort to quickly forget his embarrassment from the night when he thought a raccoon had gotten stuck in the chimney, he had cemented the bricks of his fireplace back into place that following weekend. While he couldn’t claim to have forgotten the incident, it was much easier to pretend it didn’t happen. The only reminder of the event was that the cement he used in the repair was a shade darker than that of the rest of the chimney. Will ignored it as he arranged logs in the grate and lit the fire.

After he spread the dogs’ beds and pillows on the other side of the room, he pulled two chairs in front of the fire and sat down, leaving his favorite available for Hannibal. Time seemed to slip through his fingers as he watched the fire dance and he was only pulled back to the present moment when he felt a hand rest against his shoulder.

“Penny for your thoughts?”

“The FBI is paying you a lot more than a penny for my thoughts.” Will accepted his glass of whiskey, Hannibal picking up its mismatched partner from where he’d set it on the mantel. “And they should. There’s a lot going on up here,” Will drily remarked as he gestured towards his head with his glass.

“I’m not here as your therapist, Will. I’m here as your friend.”

“You mean to tell me that you didn’t plan this snowstorm so you could ambush me with your most unorthodox session yet?”

“Picked up my snow globe of Virginia and gave it a violent shake?”

Both laughed at the absurdity of his suggestion and Will felt warmth work its way up his spine to settle in his cheeks. He hated himself a little for being so easily charmed. Hannibal leaned forward and gave him a conspiratorial expression. “While I do have a penchant for the unorthodox, not even I could pull this off.”

“You’ve taken control of the storm in my head. It’s almost more believable that you could start a real one.”

“There is no order in a snow globe, but there is in you. For all that your madness is spilling, I’m here to contain it. I am your paddle and I will not lead you astray.”

“A paddle against a hurricane.”

“But you know that if there is anyone capable of helping you, it’s me.”

Will fell silent and took the opportunity to take a sip of his whiskey. He knew that the moorings of his mind were slipping and that he needed help, which wasn’t easy for him to ask for. Every time he had attempted to get help in the past he had been rejected, given faulty advice, or been maneuvered into helping someone to his own detriment. Hannibal was the only one to offer assistance and ask for nothing more than his trust and friendship in return. The lines between the professional and personal were so blurred that there were times when Will didn’t know what capacity they were speaking to each other in.

Sometimes Will could have sworn Hannibal was flirting, but they were in his office. Didn’t that inherently mean they were talking as patient and psychiatrist? And if he was flirting, was he being unprofessional or had Will not noticed the cue that signaled they were stepping out of their professional roles? Was he reading the entire situation wrong and Hannibal hadn’t flirted with him at all?

Occasionally there were times when Will thought Hannibal was psychoanalyzing him outside of the office. Was Hannibal merely adding the way he acted in new environments to the repertoire in his mind to better help him? Or did he see him as a puzzle and the friendship was only a front to get Will comfortable so he would confide in him?

Their relationship was so tangled that the only thing Will could find as a constant was his draw towards him. Aside from his need to stay afloat mentally, he liked him. Hannibal was the first person he’d opened up to in years and to see how easily their minds connected made the risk for hurt worth it. Having a support system in someone who genuinely cared meant more to Will than he was ready to admit to.

“You recently came to me in a bid for stability. Did you get what you needed?”

Biting his lip, Will weighed his options. He got what he needed in the moment, but not what he wanted. For the most part, he wished he could forget the entire day happened. “Yes.”

“Have you further pursued Dr. Bloom? Or plan to?”

“That’s an invasive line of questioning, Dr. Lecter.” Will was deflecting and he could see from the corner of his eye that Hannibal knew it. He downed most of the whiskey he had left.

“I believe I have a right to know.”

“Right?” Will balked, raking his brain for an excuse to end the conversation. His usual method of fleeing was currently unavailable. “What right?”

“You drove through snow for nearly two hours to see me. You used your key because you were unwilling to be turned away. You became defensive when you saw I had someone over for dinner. In your search for stability, you reached out to Alana and to me.”

“What are you implying?”

“Don’t insult me, or yourself, by pretending you don’t know.” Hannibal softened his posture and leaned towards him. Will felt unbearably tense. “Did you come to me that night with the intention of kissing me?"

If he lied, Will knew Hannibal would know. The only reason Hannibal hadn’t pointed out what happened that night was probably out of some misguided attempt to keep them from veering too far into unprofessional territory. Too late now, Will bitterly thought to himself. Feeling as if he was unwittingly called out made his words sharp and his body language almost comically flippant. “It was a fleeting thought.”

“Do you still want to kiss me?”

Hannibal’s gentle, coaxing tone made Will stop whatever defensive retort he was about to say. There was no reproach in his voice. If anything, he sounded intrigued. Will sat back in his chair and thought over his words carefully. They were on untested ground and he didn’t want to misstep when they may both want the same thing. Deciding honesty was the best choice if he hoped to potentially engage Hannibal romantically - damning the consequences if it wasn’t reciprocated – he quietly replied, “Yes.”

Standing from his chair, Hannibal finished his whiskey and turned to look at Will. “Anticipating the downturn in the weather, I brought an overnight bag. Do you mind if I use your bathroom to prepare for bed?”

“Sure, okay,” Will numbly replied, dumbstruck that Hannibal hadn’t so much as addressed his revelation. He didn’t know whether to be relieved or deeply offended.

“We will also be sharing a bed tonight, unless you intend for me to sleep in my car.”

Will shook his head in the negative, barely registering Hannibal’s teasing tone. The apprehension he’d felt earlier about Hannibal staying the night quickly soured into horror. “You know I don’t – I don’t sleep well. I’ll wake you up.”

“If you wake, I’ll be there to chase the demons away.”

When he moved to leave the room, Will couldn’t remain silent anymore.

“That’s it?”

“That’s what?”

“I confess I want to... kiss you and you -,” Will stumbled over his words, his shock at the situation rendering him almost inarticulate. “- you carry on as if I said nothing.”

Kneeling beside his seat, Hannibal waited until Will looked at him. He smiled tenderly at him, his eyes expressive and insistent, and Will stared back, captivated. “I did suggest we share a bed for the night.”

“Oh,” was all Will could muster at the insinuation. He felt a flood of anticipation and nerves coalesce inside him to pick his heart rate up.

“I don’t intend to have sex with you, not tonight. But I do intend to enter my bid for your affections.”

“Bid for my affections?”

“Although she may have rebuffed your advances, you still have feelings for Alana. And those feelings are further complicated by the ones you have for me. Only once you have moved past her can we progress to more illicit touches.”

The formality of Hannibal’s tone did nothing to quell the desire churning through Will. He knew Hannibal was right, that they should wait for Will to get over Alana before they got more involved, but his body was thrumming with need. His skin prickled hot and his hands clinched into fists so they wouldn’t grab Hannibal to try and convince him that he was ready.

As if reading his thoughts, Hannibal’s smile grew and he stood once again. Cupping Will’s cheek, he turned his head so he was looking up at him. “So for now, you’ll have to settle for sleeping together and a kiss goodnight.”

Leaving Will to reel at their sleeping arrangements, Hannibal grabbed his overnight bag from the coat closet and went upstairs to the bathroom. Knowing that he needed to get ready for bed as well, Will put out the fire and also went upstairs to what had served as his bedroom until he moved his bed and dresser downstairs. He pulled a pair of sleep pants out from the back of his closet and a long-sleeved cotton shirt that would keep him warm without stifling him. After he heard Hannibal leave the bathroom and go downstairs, Will took his turn in the bathroom and quickly went through his nightly routine. His feet never felt heavier than they did as he walked down the stairs to see Hannibal sitting in his bed with his back against the wall, book in hand.

“You have an eclectic collection of books, Will.”

“Find anything you like?”

“Once I got through all your periodicals on forensics and dogs, I found quite a lot.”

Rolling his eyes at the dig, Will surprised himself with how easy it was to slide into bed next to Hannibal and peer over at the pages of his chosen book. “ _Lord of the Flies_? Little morbid for a bedtime story.”

“Would you like for me to read to you?”

“Not tonight.”

“Another time then,” Hannibal said, closing the book and handing it to Will, who placed it on his bedside table.

With nerves pulled tight as piano wires, Will lifted the blankets and scooted with Hannibal down into the bed, cocooning themselves in warmth. Both turned on their sides to face each other, wanting to avoid the awkward phase of pretending the other wasn’t there.

“I apologize ahead of time for waking you up.”

Hannibal shook his head. “Don’t. I meant what I said earlier.”

“Not all demons can be chased away.”

“No, but at least now you are not facing them alone.”

Will marveled at Hannibal’s ability to say such profound things as if they were merely statements of fact. Regardless of what he knew was waiting in his dreams, he felt comforted by Hannibal’s words. They laid over him like the blankets on his body, solid and warm.

Knowing that Hannibal was going to kiss him didn’t make the moment any less poignant. He trailed his fingers over Will’s cheek and through his stubble, the sensation making the hair on the back of Will’s neck standing up and chills run down his spine. The touch was light and exploratory, but determined. It had been so long since someone touched him with such sensitivity that Will couldn’t help but sigh as Hannibal’s fingers continued their path over his ear and into his hair.

Allowing himself to sink into a world of sensation, Will closed his eyes to absorb everything. Hannibal continued to play with his hair, little tugs telling Will that he was winding curls around his fingers before letting them go and moving on to another tuft. His fingers ghosted over his forehead as pushed the hair back, giving him an unhindered look at his face. The scrutiny might have set Will on edge if it was anyone else, but he could feel reverence through the contact and he desperately wanted more.

Will knew Hannibal was about to kiss him when he tucked a curl behind his ear and his hand held the side of his face. He was eager, but the frantic energy he felt earlier had dissipated. Now it was anticipation free of anxiety. It felt oddly pure as it flowed through his veins.

Hannibal's lips were soft and plush, much like how he thought clouds looked like they would feel. He kissed Hannibal back and his own hands reached out for him then, one resting on his chest and the other laying on his neck. They opened their mouths to each other at the same time and it was electric, the feeling akin to fireworks sparking across his skin. Will felt Hannibal’s moan in his mouth and he pushed his lips firmer against his, as if trying to trap it. With one last swirl of his tongue, Hannibal pulled away from the kiss. Both groaned at the abrupt loss of contact.

“Goodnight, Will.”

The breathless quality of Hannibal’s voice let Will know that he was as affected as he was. “Goodnight, Hannibal.”

Without opening his eyes again, Will drifted asleep to the image of Hannibal content in his bed and the sensation of his fingers carding through his hair.

**Author's Note:**

> Jesus this is so domestic and wife!Hannibal that I'm kind of dying inside ahahaha kinda proud though
> 
> Cheers if you enjoyed this and thank you for reading <3
> 
> Come visit me at my Tumblr, [mycroft-silently-judges-you](http://mycroft-silently-judges-you.tumblr.com)!
> 
> COMPANION GIFSET IS [HERE](http://mycroft-silently-judges-you.tumblr.com/post/138812364358/snow-in-bedlam-after-getting-snowed-in-for-the)


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